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New documentary on shipbreaking submitted to Unions in Motion film festival

1 February, 2011The Mumbai Port Trust Dock and General Employees Union (MPTDGEU) release a new film "Into the Graveyard". The 20 minute documentary on shipbreaking has been submitted to the EMF "Unions in Motion" film festival in Germany in June this year.

GLOBAL: The Mumbai Port Trust Dock and General Employees Union (MPTDGEU) released their new film "Into the Graveyard" in January. The 20 minute documentary on shipbreaking by V. Rane and Sinatra S. Dinz has been submitted to the EMF Unions in Motion film festival in connection to the EMF Congress in June 2011.

The Alang Shipbreaking yard in India is the largest in the world, producing 30 per cent of India's steel. MPTDGEU, the union that has made a huge effort to achieve workers' rights and social justice in the shipbreaking yards of Mumbai and Alang in India have produced a gripping documentary on the daily struggle of the workers.

Scrapping ships is one of the most work-intensive and dangerous jobs there is and probably the worst for metalworkers around the world. In Alang, 194 workers lost their lives in the shipbreaking yards in the last two years alone.

"Into the Graveyard" has been submitted to "Unions in Motion" and can be viewed on YouTube at:
Part One: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IGDZiWwF_V0
Part Two http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Vb_WSTmhQ14

The "Unions in Motion" film festival is coming up on June 10 to 11, at Landschaftspark Nord in Duisburg, Germany, the event is in connection with European Metalworkers' Federation's Congress. The festival will screen a variety of short films and feature films related to trade unions and will also offer workshops on how trade unions can produce films..

The overall theme of the film event is the 'future of manufacturing in Europe' showing trade union films from the metal, textile and chemical industries from around the world. The theme will also incorporate 'Trade unions using audiovisual tools to illustrate the challenges of a changing society and industry as well as the need to safeguard jobs and a future for all workers.' All films will be translated into English and German.

To register: [email protected]
Detailed programming is in preparation and contributions to the film festival can be sent to Caroline Jacobsson (http://www.emf-fem.org/Contact/Staff/Jacobsson-Caroline) or to Eddy Stam (http://www.emf-fem.org/Contact/Staff/Stam-Eddy)